Love and Cheese

By Shannon McEwen

When you think about love poetry, what do you imagine? That kamikaze hurtling, rapid dropping sensation in the pit of your stomach from first glance to first kiss? Those first aching, need filled moments of new love where every one of your senses are heightened, and you can’t imagine existence without that person? This is love for sure. But what about love in the mundane? Those moments you wouldn’t even think twice about? In the grocery store, or on the morning commute: when you least expect it. Or here’s a crazy thought, have you gazed into the bathroom mirror lately and thought, I love this person? Open these pages and let the words enter your mind, rumble around and nestle in to stay a while. Allow you to reminisce, rejoice or wonder. The poetry of love may be cheesy, but in action, love is poetry.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387178667

Book preview

Love and Cheese

Love and Cheese

Expressions of Love

By Shannon McEwen

Copyright

Copyright 2018 Shannon McEwen

ISBN 978-1-387-17866-7

First Ebook Edition

Filidh Publishing, Victoria, BC

Filidhbooks.com

Cover art by Silvina Lanusse

Cover design by Tal Ball, Whitney Peterson and Danny Weeds.

Forward

There are so many expressions of love, from the love of self, of a child, of a mother, of a higher purpose, of a friend or lover.  Love is the fabric of our life, knitted into every fibre of our beings.  Out of all the emotions I have felt love is what has kept me going, driven me to be who I am and continues to be the force that motivates me. Love has carried me through moments where nothing else could have.

Love is sometimes everlasting and sometimes shorter lived, but regardless of the duration, at its peak it can shine so brightly, the grayest of days seem like sunny August afternoons.  Love is sometimes as effortless and innate as breathing, but it isn’t always as easy as modern fairy tales would have us believe. It’s work, just like any other endeavour that is worthwhile.  Love is a great foundation to anything, where we build upon, grow from, learn from and move forward from.  It’s sweet, messy, funny, romantic and life changing.

So, with this, I share the moments I have felt love, breathed it, lived it, moved forward or stood still because of it.  I encourage you to follow along on my journey, feel what I have felt, cry when I have cried, laugh when I have laughed and most importantly love, like I have loved. My words are as always, an infinitesimal piece of my soul, that I place with you, to hold for just a moment.  May my words linger long after you have finished this book.

Love, must always, start with self, otherwise we cannot truly understand it.

Into storms

Vines entangled

Protect me

Select me

For survival

All because

We love

In tears

Laughter

Even fears

And because

Of love

I remain

Dedication

To Dustin, who I believe was a gift from God, to teach me, that I am worthy of love, without the need to do anything but love in return.  You are my oasis in the epicentre of chaos, even when I myself am the creator of the chaos.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Zoe Duff, my publisher, who works tirelessly for Canadian authors, with passion and commitment. I appreciate you.

Silvina Lanusse, who is not only the artist for my cover, but someone I admire greatly.

Tracey Carlson, who continues to be my number one fan. We all need someone like you, I am just lucky to have YOU.

To my darling babies, my family and friends; my reasons for moving forward. For always being my sounding board, my inspiration and my editors, critics and biggest fans.

Thank you, Tal Ball, for all the help with the cover art, for your continued friendship and support.

Part I: Unconditional Love, the Love of a Mother

I have been a mother for nineteen amazing, kamikaze plunging, gut-wrenching, thrill riding years and I can safely say it ain’t easy, but without a doubt it’s worth every moment.

A reason to get through the day

A three-car accident

Before the abandoned vehicle

On the Ironworker’s bridge

And a speed trap

Through rush hour

After a hectic day

Interviews and reviews

Politics and policies

And a quick three o’clock

Nibble

Of a wilted sandwich

A brief moment

Of silence

Before being swept

Into a whirlwind

Of chatter

And bickering

With yet more

Daycare overtime

It’s a quarter to seven

With tomorrow

Sure to be a repeat

And from the backseat

Mama, I’m gonna keep you

With a chubby grin

In the rear view

Ain’t nothing like it

Squishy hugs with chubby arms

Long fingers clasped

Around dark strands of hair

Cherub face pressed

Against a weary shoulder

Before rising

Puckered lips

Encircling sticky cheeks

Nine and one-half smooches

Before my heart

Melts

Like chocolate

When lips part

To utter

la u

Almost a gentleman

Chipmunk voice

From other side

Of green van door

Sweeps smile

So many miles

From tip

Of pink tongue

To stretch lips

Slip swiftly

To pull corners

Of tired eyes

"I wanna open

The door for you

Mama"

"But don’t wanna

Get my hands wet"

As big green eyes

Peer back

Into mine

In instant love

Clarity

In the early light of day

I sit and ponder love

And all it has to say

Between it and me

I can plainly see

That it

Pulls me through

You

And you

And you too

That's all that counts

When fear mounts

Where worry piles

Carries me these miles

Through darkness

In the brilliant light

Gives me better sight

And dear knowledge

I simply

Must hold on tight

Complete in his trust

In the darkened house

A quarter past ten

Before the house settles in

She carries all fifty pounds

Of warm sleepy boy

To